US10082135B2 - Method for producing at least one deformable membrane micropump and deformable membrane micropump - Google Patents

Method for producing at least one deformable membrane micropump and deformable membrane micropump Download PDF

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US10082135B2
US10082135B2 US13/508,650 US201013508650A US10082135B2 US 10082135 B2 US10082135 B2 US 10082135B2 US 201013508650 A US201013508650 A US 201013508650A US 10082135 B2 US10082135 B2 US 10082135B2
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substrate
deformable membrane
membrane
producing
cavity
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US20120224981A1 (en
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Yves Fouillet
Francois Baleras
Martine Cochet
Sandrine Maubert
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Commissariat a lEnergie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives CEA
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    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04B—POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS
    • F04B43/00—Machines, pumps, or pumping installations having flexible working members
    • F04B43/02—Machines, pumps, or pumping installations having flexible working members having plate-like flexible members, e.g. diaphragms
    • F04B43/04—Pumps having electric drive
    • F04B43/043—Micropumps
    • F04B43/046—Micropumps with piezoelectric drive
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
    • A61M5/00—Devices for bringing media into the body in a subcutaneous, intra-vascular or intramuscular way; Accessories therefor, e.g. filling or cleaning devices, arm-rests
    • A61M5/14—Infusion devices, e.g. infusing by gravity; Blood infusion; Accessories therefor
    • A61M5/142—Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps
    • A61M5/145—Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps using pressurised reservoirs, e.g. pressurised by means of pistons
    • A61M5/14586—Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps using pressurised reservoirs, e.g. pressurised by means of pistons pressurised by means of a flexible diaphragm
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B81—MICROSTRUCTURAL TECHNOLOGY
    • B81C—PROCESSES OR APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS
    • B81C1/00—Manufacture or treatment of devices or systems in or on a substrate
    • B81C1/00015—Manufacture or treatment of devices or systems in or on a substrate for manufacturing microsystems
    • B81C1/00134—Manufacture or treatment of devices or systems in or on a substrate for manufacturing microsystems comprising flexible or deformable structures
    • B81C1/00182—Arrangements of deformable or non-deformable structures, e.g. membrane and cavity for use in a transducer
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04B—POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS
    • F04B43/00—Machines, pumps, or pumping installations having flexible working members
    • F04B43/02—Machines, pumps, or pumping installations having flexible working members having plate-like flexible members, e.g. diaphragms
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04B—POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS
    • F04B43/00—Machines, pumps, or pumping installations having flexible working members
    • F04B43/02—Machines, pumps, or pumping installations having flexible working members having plate-like flexible members, e.g. diaphragms
    • F04B43/04—Pumps having electric drive
    • F04B43/043—Micropumps
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B81—MICROSTRUCTURAL TECHNOLOGY
    • B81B—MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS, e.g. MICROMECHANICAL DEVICES
    • B81B2201/00—Specific applications of microelectromechanical systems
    • B81B2201/03—Microengines and actuators
    • B81B2201/036—Micropumps
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B81—MICROSTRUCTURAL TECHNOLOGY
    • B81B—MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS, e.g. MICROMECHANICAL DEVICES
    • B81B2203/00—Basic microelectromechanical structures
    • B81B2203/01—Suspended structures, i.e. structures allowing a movement
    • B81B2203/0127—Diaphragms, i.e. structures separating two media that can control the passage from one medium to another; Membranes, i.e. diaphragms with filtering function
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B81—MICROSTRUCTURAL TECHNOLOGY
    • B81C—PROCESSES OR APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS
    • B81C2201/00—Manufacture or treatment of microstructural devices or systems
    • B81C2201/01—Manufacture or treatment of microstructural devices or systems in or on a substrate
    • B81C2201/0161—Controlling physical properties of the material
    • B81C2201/0163—Controlling internal stress of deposited layers
    • B81C2201/0167—Controlling internal stress of deposited layers by adding further layers of materials having complementary strains, i.e. compressive or tensile strain
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B81—MICROSTRUCTURAL TECHNOLOGY
    • B81C—PROCESSES OR APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS
    • B81C2201/00—Manufacture or treatment of microstructural devices or systems
    • B81C2201/01—Manufacture or treatment of microstructural devices or systems in or on a substrate
    • B81C2201/0174—Manufacture or treatment of microstructural devices or systems in or on a substrate for making multi-layered devices, film deposition or growing
    • B81C2201/019—Bonding or gluing multiple substrate layers
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F05—INDEXING SCHEMES RELATING TO ENGINES OR PUMPS IN VARIOUS SUBCLASSES OF CLASSES F01-F04
    • F05C—INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO MATERIALS, MATERIAL PROPERTIES OR MATERIAL CHARACTERISTICS FOR MACHINES, ENGINES OR PUMPS OTHER THAN NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES
    • F05C2203/00—Non-metallic inorganic materials
    • F05C2203/02—Glass
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F05—INDEXING SCHEMES RELATING TO ENGINES OR PUMPS IN VARIOUS SUBCLASSES OF CLASSES F01-F04
    • F05C—INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO MATERIALS, MATERIAL PROPERTIES OR MATERIAL CHARACTERISTICS FOR MACHINES, ENGINES OR PUMPS OTHER THAN NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES
    • F05C2203/00—Non-metallic inorganic materials
    • F05C2203/06—Silicon
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T29/00—Metal working
    • Y10T29/49—Method of mechanical manufacture
    • Y10T29/494—Fluidic or fluid actuated device making

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to the general field of microfluidics, and relates to a method for producing at least one deformable membrane micropump, and to a deformable membrane micropump.
  • Micropumps provide controlled flow of a fluid in a microchannel. They can be used in numerous microfluidic systems such as, for example, labs-on-a-chip, medical substance injection system or electronic chip hydraulic cooling circuits.
  • the fluid flow may be obtained in different ways, depending on whether mechanical action is performed on the fluid of interest or not.
  • An overview of the various techniques can be found in the article by Nguyen et al. entitled “MEMS-Micropumps: A Review”, 2002, J. Fluid. Eng., Vol. 124, 384-392.
  • Deformable membrane micropumps belong to the first category of micropumps wherein a mechanical action is applied to the fluid via said membrane, so as to displace the fluid in the microchannel.
  • micropump comprising three deformable membranes, including one central pumping membrane and two upstream and downstream secondary membranes.
  • the micropump 1 comprises a first substrate 10 and a second substrate 20 assembled together so as to form a microchannel.
  • the first substrate 10 comprises three cavities 12 - 1 , 12 - 2 , 12 - 3 formed in the top face 11 S of the substrate and connected in series.
  • the second substrate 20 comprises three deformable membranes 22 - 1 , 22 - 2 , 22 - 3 arranged facing said cavities. It should be noted that the second substrate 20 is formed from a single piece, the deformable membranes thus being a portion of said substrate and not added parts.
  • the central membrane 22 - 2 and the corresponding cavity 12 - 2 define the pumping chamber of the micropump 1 together.
  • the upstream 22 - 1 and downstream 22 - 3 membranes form, with the corresponding cavities 12 - 1 and 12 - 3 thereof, active valves.
  • the deformation of the membranes is obtained using piezoelectric chips 31 arranged on the top face 21 S of the membranes.
  • the flow of the fluid of interest in the micropump microchannel is obtained by controlled deformation of the membrane increasing or decreasing the pumping chamber volume, in conjunction with the action of the upstream and downstream valves.
  • the method for producing such a micropump comprises a step for producing cavities and membranes, followed by a step for assembling said substrates.
  • the cavities and membranes are firstly produced, respectively, in the first and second substrates using conventional microelectronic techniques, for example, photolithography followed by one or a plurality of etching steps. It should be noted that the membranes of the second substrate generally have a thickness in the region of tens of microns.
  • the first and second substrates when they are made of silicon, may then be assembled together by molecular bonding, also referred to as silicon direct bonding (SDB).
  • SDB silicon direct bonding
  • It comprises a prior substrate face cleaning phase, followed by the alignment of the substrates and contacting with each other.
  • the whole is then subjected to a high temperature, in the region of 1000° C., for a period ranging from several minutes to several hours.
  • the second substrate is etched so as to have an embossed geometry.
  • the membranes 22 - 1 , 22 - 2 , 22 - 3 are formed by recesses produced in the top face 21 S of the second substrate.
  • the non-etched portions thus form thick portions, or ribs 25 , separating the membranes from each other, and provide, due to the thickness and arrangement thereof, the rigidity required of the substrate.
  • the presence of the ribs in the top face of the second substrate inhibits the completion of subsequent photolithography steps in that it is not possible to deposit photosensitive resin with a spinner.
  • the aim of the invention is that of providing a method for producing at least one deformable membrane micropump comprising two substrates assembled together, for limiting, before and during the step for assembling said substrates, the risks of degradation of the substrates, particularly of the substrate to comprise the deformable membrane(s).
  • the invention relates to a method for producing at least one deformable membrane micropump comprising a first substrate and a second substrate assembled together, the first substrate comprising at least one cavity and the second substrate comprising at least one deformable membrane arranged facing said cavity, said first and second substrates defining a portion of a microchannel together wherein said cavity and said deformable membrane are situated.
  • Said method comprises the following steps:
  • the step for producing the deformable membrane is performed after the assembly step.
  • Both substrates are thus assembled together before the step for producing the deformable membrane.
  • the second substrate before and during the assembly step, does not comprise a deformable membrane, thus a localized fragile zone.
  • the choice of assembly technique to use is no longer limited. Unlike the prior art, it is possible to choose an assembly technique from those in which the operating conditions, particularly in terms of pressure and temperature, subject the substrates to high mechanical and thermal stress. Due to the lack of a deformable membrane during the assembly step, the risks of degradation of the second substrate are substantially reduced, or negligible.
  • Said second substrate comprises a top face and a bottom face, said substrate being assembled with said first substrate on the bottom face thereof.
  • the step for producing said deformable membrane is performed by thinning said second substrate from the top face thereof, said thinning being performed by mechanical polishing, chemical mechanical polishing and/or etching.
  • the second substrate comprising said deformable membrane
  • said deformable membrane is not an added element rigidly connected to the second substrate but a structural part of said second substrate.
  • Said assembly step may be performed by molecular bonding, anodic, eutectic bonding or by gluing.
  • the assembly step is performed by molecular bonding. This technique is sometimes referred to as silicon direct bonding (SDB).
  • the first substrate comprises a conduit communicating with the first cavity, a subsequent thinning step by etching at least one portion of said first substrate being made from the bottom face thereof, so as to render said conduit a through conduit.
  • Said assembly step is advantageously performed in a vacuum.
  • the microchannel portion forms a closed volume sealed by the second substrate, it is possible to apply a high temperature without risking giving rise to the thermal expansion of gases present in said volume. This expansion would give rise to high mechanical stress in said substrate which would weaken the assembly in particular.
  • the second substrate has a substantially plane top face on the entire surface thereof.
  • microelectronic methods conventionally performed on plane surfaces may be performed on the top face of the second substrate. These methods may comprise subsequent deposition, particularly of photosensitive resin, with a spinner, photolithography and etching steps.
  • a plurality of micropumps can be produced simultaneously from said first and second substrates, said first and second substrates being respectively formed from a single piece.
  • Said production method may comprise a final step for separating said previously produced micropumps from each other.
  • the invention also relates to a deformable membrane micropump comprising a first substrate and a second substrate assembled with each other, the first substrate comprising at least one cavity and the second substrate comprising at least one deformable membrane arranged facing said cavity, said first and second substrates defining a portion of a microchannel together wherein said cavity and said deformable membrane are situated.
  • said second substrate has, along said microchannel portion, a substantially constant thickness.
  • substantially constant thickness refers to a thickness in which the value is liable to display local variations less than or equal to 10% of the maximum value thereof in the zone in question, and preferably less than or equal to 5%, or 1%.
  • Said second substrate comprises a top face and a bottom face, said substrate being assembled with said first substrate on the bottom face thereof.
  • the second substrate has a substantially plane top face on the entire surface thereof.
  • Said deformable membrane may have a thickness less than or equal to 300 ⁇ m, and preferably less than 100 ⁇ m, or less than 50 ⁇ m.
  • Said first and second substrates are, preferably, made of silicone, silicon-on-insulator (SOI), or glass.
  • the first substrate is made of silicon and the second substrate is made of SOI.
  • Said first substrate may comprise at least one boss arranged in said cavity facing the deformable membrane, forming an abutment for said membrane.
  • the second substrate may be subject, due to the technique used, to strain causing deflection towards the first substrate.
  • the presence of the boss thus makes it possible to limit deflection by forming an abutment for the second substrate.
  • the mechanical stress associated with the deflection is thus likewise limited.
  • the first substrate comprises a second cavity and the second substrate comprises a second deformable membrane arranged facing said second cavity, said second cavity and said second deformable membrane being situated within said microchannel portion, said first substrate comprising a conduit opening inside the second cavity via an opening bordered by a lip projecting inside said second cavity, parallel with said second deformable membrane.
  • lip refers to a projecting rigid rib.
  • said lip and said second deformable membrane comprise, in relation to each other, a gap between 0.01 ⁇ m and 3 ⁇ m.
  • said gap is between 0.01 ⁇ m and 3 ⁇ m.
  • a stressed layer is arranged on the top face of the second substrate facing a deformable membrane, such that said membrane is deformed in an idle position.
  • a strain gage is arranged on the top face of the second substrate facing a deformable membrane, so as to measure a deformation of said membrane.
  • FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a deformable membrane micropump according to an example of the prior art
  • FIG. 2A to 2E are cross-sectional views of a deformable membrane micropump, for various steps of the production method according to the invention.
  • FIG. 3 is a top view of the first substrate, after the step for producing cavities and before the assembly step;
  • FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of an alternative embodiment of a micropump according to the invention, wherein the inlet and outlet conduits are particularly arranged outside the upstream and downstream cavities;
  • FIG. 5 is a top view of the first substrate as represented in FIG. 4 ;
  • FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of an alternative embodiment of a micropump according to the invention, wherein a stressed layer is arranged on a membrane of the second substrate;
  • FIG. 7 is a top view of an alternative embodiment of a micropump according to the invention comprising a deformation membrane sensor
  • FIG. 8 shows the evolution of an output signal of the sensor represented in FIG. 7 .
  • the production method described hereinafter is applied to a micropump comprising three deformable membranes, but may also be applied to any type of deformable membrane micropump such as those, for example, comprising at least one deformable membrane and check valves or converging conduits arranged upstream and downstream from said membrane.
  • the method may be applied to a micropump comprising n membranes according to the invention, where n is greater than or equal to 1, and preferably equal to 3. When n is equal to 1, the method leads to the creation of an active valve, the membrane being arranged between an inlet conduit and an outlet conduit.
  • the method is described with reference to the production of a single micropump, but may be applied to the simultaneous production of a plurality of micropumps.
  • FIGS. 2A to 2E illustrate, in a cross-section, a deformable membrane micropump, for various steps of the production method according to the preferred embodiment.
  • bottom and top used hereinafter are in this case to be understood in terms of orientation along the direction k of the orthonormal point (i,j,k) represented in FIG. 2A .
  • a first substrate 10 formed, for example, from a double-faced polished silicon wafer is taken into consideration.
  • a second substrate 20 formed, for example, from a silicon-on-insulator water (SOI) is taken into consideration.
  • a layer of SiO 2 23 - 2 is thus present between two top 23 - 1 and bottom 23 - 3 silicon layers.
  • the thickness of the first and second substrates is in the region of a few hundred microns, for example 700 ⁇ m.
  • the diameter or the diagonal of the first and second substrates may be in the region of a few millimeters to tens of centimeters, for example 10, 15, 20 or 30 cm.
  • the substrates may have a diameter or a diagonal in the region of tens of centimeters.
  • the micropumps obtained following the production method may form, for example a rectangle measurement 1 cm by 3 cm.
  • the thickness of the bottom silicon layer 23 - 3 of the second substrate 20 is substantially equal to the thickness of the deformable membranes subsequently produced. This thickness may thus be in the region of tens to hundreds of microns, for example 10 ⁇ m to 300 ⁇ m, and preferably less than 100 ⁇ m, or less than 50 ⁇ m. As detailed below, the bottom layer 23 - 3 of the second substrate makes it possible to define the thickness of the deformable membranes to be produced with precision.
  • a plurality of cavities 12 - 1 , 12 - 2 , 12 - 3 are produced in the top face 11 S of the first substrate 10 , along with communication conduits 13 .
  • cavity refers to a recess or a notch produced in the surface of a solid.
  • Three cavities 12 - 1 , 12 - 2 , 12 - 3 are thus obtained, one central cavity 12 - 2 and two upstream 12 - 1 and downstream 12 - 3 cavities, connected in series via communication conduits 13 .
  • the central cavity 12 - 2 helps form the pumping chamber and the two upstream 12 - 1 and downstream 12 - 3 cavities help form active valves.
  • the cavities 12 - 1 , 12 - 2 , 12 - 3 may have the form of a disk, ring, polygon, or any other shape of the same type, having a diameter or diagonal of a few millimeters, for example 3 mm or 6 mm, and a depth in the region of a few microns to hundreds of microns, for example 50 ⁇ m to 100 ⁇ m.
  • a compression rate corresponding to the ratio between the volume of fluid displaced by the membrane and the volume of the cavity situated facing the membrane, may be defined. It is preferable for this compression rate to be as high as possible.
  • the depth of a cavity is preferably less than or equal to 100 ⁇ m.
  • Inlet 14 and outlet 15 conduits are produced in the form of wells opening, respectively, inside, respectively, upstream 12 - 1 and downstream 12 - 3 cavities, but, preferably, not fully through with respect to the first substrate 10 . They may be situated at the center of said cavities. They may have a diameter in the region of hundreds of microns, for example 600 ⁇ m, and a depth in the region of hundreds of microns, for example 300 ⁇ m.
  • the inlet 14 and outlet conduits open into said cavities via an orifice bordered by an annular lip 16 .
  • the lips 16 may have a height substantially equal to the depth of the cavities wherein they are situated.
  • undercuts 24 - 1 , 24 - 3 are produced in the bottom face 21 I of the second substrate 20 , intended to face the corresponding lips 16 .
  • Said undercuts may thus be annular or have the shape of a disk, and are shallow, in the region of a few microns, for example 2 ⁇ m, or tenths of a micron, for example 0.1 ⁇ m.
  • undercut refers to a shallow recess or notch, typically between 0.1 ⁇ m and 3 ⁇ m, facing that of the cavities, in the region of tens of microns, for example 50 or 100 ⁇ m.
  • the bottom face 21 I of the second substrate 20 can thus be considered to be substantially plane.
  • substantially in this instance refers to variations in thickness in said substrate not exceeding a few microns, for example 3 ⁇ m.
  • undercuts 24 - 1 , 24 - 3 make it possible to ensure, during the subsequent substrate assembly step, that the top of lips 16 does not touch the bottom face 21 I of the second substrate 20 . Furthermore, these undercuts 24 - 1 , 24 - 3 will also provide fluidic communication, in the case of a membrane not subject to mechanical stress, between the inlet 14 and outlet 15 conduits and the cavities 12 - 1 , 12 - 3 wherein they open.
  • a boss 17 may be produced in the top face 11 S of the first substrate 10 and located substantially at the center of the central cavity 12 - 2 .
  • a undercut 24 - 2 is advantageously produced in the bottom face 21 I.
  • the production of the cavities 12 - 1 , 12 - 2 , 12 - 3 , communication conduits 13 and inlet 14 and outlet 15 conduits in the first substrate 10 (represented as a top view in FIG. 3 ) and undercuts 24 - 1 , 24 - 2 , 24 - 3 in the second substrate 30 may be performed using conventional microelectronic techniques, for example photolithography followed by some etching steps.
  • the etching may be performed using RIE (Reactive Ion Etching) plasma, making it possible to obtain vertical walls.
  • RIE Reactive Ion Etching
  • said substrates are then assembled together.
  • the first and second substrates 10 , 20 being respectively made of silicon and SOI, it is possible to perform assembly by molecular bonding.
  • This type of bonding is particularly suitable for Si—Si or Si-glass type assemblies.
  • This technique is also referred to as fusion bonding, or direct bonding.
  • This molecular bonding assembly step comprises a first phase for preparing the faces of the substrates 10 , 20 to be assembled, more specifically cleaning and hydration.
  • the substrates 10 , 20 are thus cleaned by means of a wet treatment such as RCA cleaning, particularly described in the publication cited above by Maluf and Williams entitled “An introduction to microelectromechanical systems engineering”. This cleaning technique makes it possible to obtain clean and uncontaminated surfaces, having a high OH group density.
  • the substrates are then aligned and contacted with each other.
  • high-temperature bonding annealing is performed for a predetermined time.
  • the temperature may be between 500° C. and 1250° C., for example in the region of 1000° C. and the annealing time may be in the region of one hour.
  • the substrate assembly obtained is thus resistant and durable.
  • the assembly of both substrates may also be carried out using other methods such as gluing, or eutectic bonding or anodic bonding.
  • the second substrate 20 has not yet undergone a deformable membrane production step.
  • the thickness of the second substrate 20 is thus substantially identical to the initial thickness thereof, i.e. hundreds of microns.
  • the undercuts optionally produced 24 - 1 , 24 - 2 , 24 - 3 in the bottom face 21 I have a negligible depth in relation to the total thickness of the second substrate 20 , and thus do not change the overall rigidity of the substrate 20 . Therefore, the handling of the second substrate 20 before and during the assembly step involves low risks of degradation due to breaking or tearing.
  • the first and second substrates 10 , 20 have a sufficient thickness rendering any deformation negligible during bonding, particularly as said bonding is preferentially performed in a vacuum.
  • the gap between the top of the lips 16 of the first substrate 10 and the bottom face 21 I of the second substrate 20 may thus be very small, for example in the region of a micron or a tenth of a micron as mentioned above. Therefore, there is no risk that, following thermal deformation of either of the substrates, the lips 16 and the bottom face 21 I of the second substrate 20 are mutually contacted such that bonding of said surfaces takes place.
  • the gap between the top of the boss 17 and the bottom face 21 I may also be in the region of a micron or a tenth of a micron.
  • This surface treatment may be a micro-machining producing rough surface condition, the deposition of a hydrophobic material or having a low adhesion strength, or a chemical surface treatment or ion implantation.
  • the inlet 14 and outlet 15 conduits may not be through, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B .
  • the assembly step is advantageously performed in a vacuum.
  • the ambient pressure may be, for example, between a few 10 ⁇ 4 mbar and a few 10 ⁇ 2 mbar. This makes it possible avoid that, by means of thermal expansion of gases trapped in the closed volume formed by the cavities 12 - 1 , 12 - 2 , 12 - 3 and conduits 13 , 14 , 15 , significant pressure surges do not give rise to excessive mechanical stress inside said substrates, but also in the assembly zone between the two substrates.
  • deformable membranes are finally produced in the second substrate.
  • this embodiment may be carried out by thinning the second substrate 20 on the entire surface thereof, from the top face 21 S thereof.
  • a first mechanical polishing phase such as grinding may be performed.
  • This technique is particularly described in the article by Pei et al. entitled “Grinding of silicon wafers: A review from historical perspectives”, Int. J. Mach. Tool. Manu., 48 (2008), 1297-1307.
  • the polishing may be stopped a few microns or tens of microns above the intermediate SiO 2 layer 23 - 2 .
  • the thinning to the intermediate layer 23 - 2 may be obtained by the known chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) technique.
  • CMP chemical mechanical polishing
  • RIE dry etching and/or wet etching by means of a KOH or IMAM (tetramethylammonium hydroxide) bath may be performed.
  • the SiO 2 layer offers the advantage of serving as a barrier layer, making it possible to control the final thickness of the membrane to be formed with precision.
  • the intermediate SiO 2 layer 23 - 2 of the second substrate 20 may be etched by means of RIE (Reactive Ion Etching) dry etching or hydrofluoric acid (HF) etching or by any known reduction means.
  • RIE Reactive Ion Etching
  • HF hydrofluoric acid
  • the second substrate 20 has a substantially plane top face 21 S and essentially comprises the bottom layer 23 - 3 of the initial SOI.
  • top face 21 S is substantially plane, and wherein the thickness is substantially homogenous.
  • substantially covers any variations in thickness in the region of 0.1 ⁇ m to 3 ⁇ m from undercuts 24 - 1 to 24 - 3 produced on the bottom face 21 I of the second substrate 20 .
  • the second substrate 20 does not have geometrically defined zones for forming deformable membranes. Due to the thickness thereof, in the region of tens to hundreds of microns, for example 10 ⁇ m to 300 ⁇ m, and preferably 50 ⁇ m, any zone in the second substrate is liable to form a deformable membrane when it is positioned facing a cavity produced in the bottom substrate. Nevertheless, the zones of the second substrate 20 situated facing the cavities 12 - 1 , 12 - 2 , 12 - 3 are intended to form deformable membranes 22 - 1 , 22 - 2 , 22 - 3 .
  • the thinning step may be performed at atmospheric pressure while the cavities are still forming a closed volume in a vacuum.
  • a pressure force is then applied on the top face 21 S of the second substrate 20 , tending to cause flexion thereof inside the cavities 12 - 1 , 12 - 2 , 12 - 3 .
  • the boss 17 arranged in the central cavity 12 - 2 forms an abutment for the second substrate 20 and thus applies a limit to the flexural deflection thereof.
  • the lips 16 situated in the upstream 12 - 1 and downstream 12 - 3 cavities may also form an abutment for the second substrate 20 and also help limit the maximum possible flexion of the second substrate.
  • a conductive level may be produced on the top face 21 S of the second substrate 20 .
  • This conductive level is produced by depositing a metallic layer, for example gold, aluminum, titanium, platinum, alloy (e.g. AlSi), etc. Any type of conductive material deposition available in clean rooms may be suitable.
  • a dielectric passivation layer (not shown) may then be deposited on the faces of the micropump.
  • the material may be SiO 2 , SiN, Si 3 N 4 having a thickness of a few nanometers. This layer provides the protection and local isolation of the conductive layer.
  • the conductive layer and the passivation layer may then be etched locally to form conductive tracks and electrical power supply zones of the deformable membrane actuation means.
  • the membrane actuation means may be piezoelectric chips.
  • the layers are then etched to form contact blocks 32 for providing the electrical power supply of the micropump with the external system, conductive disks 33 for receiving the piezoelectric chips and conductive tracks for connecting the contact blocks with the conductive disks.
  • the conductive disks 33 have a diameter substantially equal to that of the piezoelectric chips. This diameter may be in the region of 0.5 to 0.85 times the diameter of the cavities facing which the disks are arranged.
  • chips 31 are then produced on the top face 21 S of the second substrate 20 , and arranged on the deformable membranes 22 - 1 , 22 - 2 , 22 - 3 . They each rest on a conductive disk 33 and are assembled therewith using a conductive adhesive.
  • the thickness of the piezoelectric chips may be in the region of one hundred microns, for example 125 ⁇ m to 200 ⁇ m.
  • the chips may be obtained after chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or sol-gel deposition.
  • the thickness of the chips may be less than 1 ⁇ m or a few microns.
  • an electric wire 34 is welded to the top face of the piezoelectric chips and connected to the conductive tracks.
  • An electric voltage may thus be applied, independently, to each piezoelectric chip.
  • the deformation of a piezoelectric chip thus gives rise to the deformation of the corresponding deformable membrane.
  • the piezoelectric chips may this be used as membrane actuation means to deform said membranes. It should be noted that they may also be used as a sensor for measuring the membrane movement, or the position thereof induced by deformation.
  • the inlet 14 and outlet 15 conduits are not fully through.
  • An etching step optionally with photolithography, is then performed on the bottom face 11 I of the first substrate 10 to render said conduits through.
  • the micropump microchannel formed from the inlet 14 and outlet 15 conduits, cavities 12 - 1 , 12 - 2 , 12 - 3 and communication conduits 13 , is thus open and communicates with the external environment.
  • This step is advantageously performed following the production method. This makes it possible to prevent contamination inside the micropump microchannel by all sorts of residue or impurities. The risk of blockage or poor operation of the upstream and downstream valves is thus ruled out.
  • the wafers are cut to separate the micropumps produced.
  • FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate an alternative embodiment of a micropump wherein the inlet and outlet conduits are located outside the upstream and downstream cavities.
  • the inlet 14 and outlet 15 conduits are in this case arranged substantially adjacent to the upstream 12 - 1 and downstream 12 - 3 cavities and communicate therewith via communication conduits 13 .
  • the inlet conduit extends inside the first substrate whereas the outlet conduit extends inside the second substrate.
  • This arrangement is given herein merely as an example. It is obviously possible to arrange the inlet conduit in the second substrate and the outlet conduit in the first substrate, or arrange said conduits inside the second substrate.
  • each lip may be replaced by a straight (or curved) rib 18 extending inside the corresponding cavity 12 - 1 , 12 - 3 and formed in said first substrate 10 .
  • the corresponding membrane 22 - 1 , 22 - 3 may then come into contact with the rib 18 in order to prevent any flow of the fluid of interest between the rib and the membrane.
  • a stressed layer may be deposited directly on the surface on the top face of either of the membranes produced, before the deposition of the conductive layer.
  • This stressed layer applies a stress on the membrane in question giving rise to deformation thereof.
  • this stressed layer may be deposited on the upstream and downstream membranes and thus gives rise to the contacting of the membranes with the opposite lips. Therefore, when the membranes are not activated by the actuation means, in this case by piezoelectric chips, the membranes are deformed in an idle position. They thus form upstream and downstream valves which are closed when idle.
  • This stressed layer may be, for example, Si3N3 deposited by PECVD having an internal tensile stress in the region of several hundred Megapascal, for example 700 MPa. The thickness thereof may be in the region of 0.1 ⁇ m to 1 ⁇ m. As illustrated in FIG. 6 , the deflection of the membrane 22 - 1 induced by the stressed layer 35 is thus a few microns and is sufficient to induce the contacting of the membrane with the opposite lip 16 .
  • strain gages may be produced on the top face of the second substrate and arranged above the deformable membranes. These gages are used to measure the deformation of the membrane to determine the position thereof (high, low or intermediate position), measure the local pressures in the micropump microchannel. For example, it is possible to measure the difference in pressure between the upstream cavity and the downstream cavity, and thus measure the fluid flow rate or detect a leak.
  • the strain gages may be made of a conductive material have a high gage factors, for example metal, such as platinum, or preferably, a doped semi-conductor material such as, for example p-doped silicon obtained by boron ion implantation. Boron ion implantation may be performed directly on the Si membrane.
  • FIG. 7 An example of an integrated sensor 100 is given in FIG. 7 corresponding to the top view drawing of a pump similar to the one described on FIG. 6 .
  • the sensor 100 and the electrical elements 32 are formed by at least one electrical level, typically a metallic layer as described above in reference to FIG. 2D .
  • the metallic disks 33 , blocks 32 and the various electrical lines, and the sensor 100 may be formed in the same metallic material and shaped by a single step such as deposition, photolithography, etching.
  • a much more complex embodiment integrating a plurality of electrical levels may also be envisaged.
  • doped silicon piezoelectric resistors may also be envisaged.
  • the material is a 100 nm to 500 nm gold layer deposited by means of standard microtechnology methods.
  • the sensor is formed from a Wheatstone bridge having four piezoresistive resistances 101 having an identical geometry.
  • the resistors 101 are formed from a coil a few microns (e.g., between 3 and 10 ⁇ m) wide and approximately 1 mm long. Lines 102 connected to the block 32 are used to power the bridge and make the measurement.
  • One of the resistors 103 is positioned facing the membrane 22 - 3 .
  • the resistor 103 is positioned at the embodiment of the membrane 22 - 3 , so as to be located in the stress and maximum deformation zone when the membrane is deformed.
  • the three other resistors of the Wheatstone bride are situated outside the membrane so as to retain a constant resistance value regardless of the membrane deformation state.
  • the membrane 22 - 3 is deformed under the action of a pressure difference between the two faces of the membrane and/or under the effect of the actuation of the piezoelectric chip. These deformations give rise to a change in the value of the resistor 103 due to the piezoresistive effect.
  • This change in the resistor is measured precisely by the electrical measurements on the Wheatstone bridge (known to those skilled in the art). For example, the bridge is powered with a voltage V in of 1 V, and the voltage V out is measured as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 .
  • FIG. 8 An example of a result is given in FIG. 8 .
  • the curve gives the progression of the voltage measurement V out .
  • a change in the value of this voltage measurement results from bridge disequilibrium and is thus directly correlated with the membrane deformation (position).
  • the piezoelectric chip mounted on the membrane 22 - 3 is actuated by an electrical signal in the form of square pulses.
  • the On-Off indication designates the ranges in which the piezoelectric chip is actuated or is idle, respectively. It is verified that the actuation cycles are clearly visible on the sensor measurement curve. The change of membrane status can thus be verified, qualified and quantified readily using electrical means.
  • the sensor thus makes it possible to verify the satisfactory behavior of the membrane during pump operation. It is also possible to determine the membrane deformation amplitude (the deformation amplitude is practically proportional to the voltage applied on the piezoelectric chip).
  • the production of the sensors requires relatively fine resolutions (1 to 10 ⁇ m drawings for example). Moreover, the sensors should be positioned precisely in clearly defined zones of the membranes. If the top face of the pump is embossed ( FIG. 1 ) according to the prior art, the production of such sensors is not possible. To produce these sensors by means of photolithography, it is essential for the top face of the pump to be plane. This demonstrates the benefit of the present invention, and illustrates the added value of the use of MEMS technologies on a pump produced according to the invention.
  • a plurality of bosses forming an abutment may be produced and arranged in the upstream and/or downstream central cavities, or in the communication conduits. As described above, these bosses limit the deflection of the membranes during production in said corresponding cavities during the second substrate thinning step. They may also help, more generally, reinforce the micropump structure.
  • the height of the bosses may be equal to the depth of the corresponding cavities, in which case a undercut is produced in the bottom face of the second substrate and arranged facing each of said bosses.
  • the height of the bosses may be substantially less than the depth of the corresponding cavities, with a difference in the region of microns or tenths of microns. The undercuts are not necessary in this case.
  • the first and second substrates may be made of silicon or glass. If the substrates consist of one made of silicon (or SOI) and another made of glass, it is possible to perform the step for assembling said substrates together using the known anodic bonding technique.
  • the cavities, membranes and piezoelectric chips may have a circular shape, as described above. They may also have any other shape, for example oval, square, polygonal.
  • the central membrane may have a different size to that of the upstream and downstream membranes.
  • the size of the corresponding cavities is adapted accordingly.
  • the pumping chamber may have a size of approximately 6 mm whereas the upstream and downstream chambers may have a size of 3 mm.
  • the second substrate may be thinned from the top face thereof, not on the entire surface thereof, but only on a portion of said surface.
  • the second substrate of each micropump may have, on the top face thereof, a rib arranged on the border thereof and defining a substantially plane central surface.
  • the deformable membrane micropump described above comprises active valves formed each comprising a deformable membrane.
  • the invention may comprise, alternatively to the upstream and downstream membrane valves, check valves and converging conduits.
  • membrane actuation for example known pneumatic, magnetic, or electrostatic actuation methods.
US13/508,650 2009-11-13 2010-11-12 Method for producing at least one deformable membrane micropump and deformable membrane micropump Active 2033-11-17 US10082135B2 (en)

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FR0957995A FR2952628A1 (fr) 2009-11-13 2009-11-13 Procede de fabrication d'au moins une micropompe a membrane deformable et micropompe a membrane deformable
FR0957995 2009-11-13
PCT/EP2010/067390 WO2011058140A2 (fr) 2009-11-13 2010-11-12 Procédé de fabrication d'au moins une micropompe à membrane déformable et micropompe à membrane déformable

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EP2499368A2 (fr) 2012-09-19
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WO2011058140A3 (fr) 2011-12-01
CN102782324B (zh) 2016-04-20
JP2013510987A (ja) 2013-03-28
WO2011058140A2 (fr) 2011-05-19
JP5769721B2 (ja) 2015-08-26
US20120224981A1 (en) 2012-09-06

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